Recent studies have shown that approximately two percent of women and four percent of men in the middle-class workforce have sleep apnea syndrome (T. Young, et al, The New England Journal of Medicine, pp. 1230, Apr. 29, 1993). The current treatment for this condition requires the use of an unwieldy positive air-pressure appliance during sleep, for the rest of the patients life. No other effective treatments have yet been devised that would alleviate these sleep-disorders.
Other publications report on research studying the effects of other drugs on sleep apnea. The J. of Psychosom. Research., 1993, 37 Suppl. 1;pp 59-65, reports studies on the use of benzodiazepine hypnotic type compounds for patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. However, benzodiazepine hypnotic drugs are quite potent and are not preferred by some doctors and patients because of some alleged side-effects.
The Am. Rev. Respir. Dis., 1992, June, Vol. 145 (6), pp 1378-83 reports on studies of gamma-hydroxybutyrate in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. No significant improvement over a control group was seen in this study.
The Am. Rev. Respir. Dis, 1992, February, Vol 145 (2 Pt 1): pp 435-9 reports on the effect of clonidine hydrochloride on obstructive sleep apnea in male patients. It was reported that clonidine had no effect on the frequency and duration of non-REM breathing abnormalities.
Other publications reporting on the effect of other medicinal agents on sleep-related snoring or sleep apnea disorders include:
a) Drugs, 1991; 41 Supp 1: pp 37-47 (cilazapril); PA1 b) Chest, 1991; August, Vol. 100 (2): pp 416-421 (protriptyline), which is used to treat obstructive sleep apnea, but has anticholinergic side-effects; PA1 c) Am. Res. Respir. Dis., 1991; Nov, Vol 144 (5): pp 1112-1120, reports on studies of the basic mechanism of sleep-disordered breathing during rapid-eye-movement (REM) in the English bulldog. PA1 d) Lancet, 1991, July 27; 338 (8761); pp 251-252, (oestradiol and medroxyprogesterone) PA1 e) J. Clin. Psychopharmacol., 1991, February, Vol. 11,(1); pp 71-72. (Buspirone) PA1 f) Lung, 1990; Vol. 168 Supp, pp 948-954 (Almitrine).
None of the above drug treatments are believed to be as effective in treating snoring, sleep apnea and hypopnea in humans as what has been discovered according to this invention.
It is an object of this invention to provide a treatment method for reducing and preferably eliminating the snoring and/or sleep apnea and hypopnea events in human patients suffering from such conditions with a class of drug compounds which are used for other ailments, which are safe and relatively easy to administer to the patient.